Nestled in the foothills of the majestic, twin-peaked Mount Diablo in Concord, California, the new “Diablo Valley: Defying Expectations” group tourism initiative launched to a devil-horned crowd last month. Held in Concord’s historical Todos Santos Plaza, Diablo Valley’s tourism initiative was an exciting event that defied expectations. The launch attracted 3,500 locals and tourists, and yes, half of them were sporting devil horns.
The name Diablo, devil in Spanish, has fortunately protected and sustained the natural beauty of this hidden gem. Groups are beginning to discover its allure, positioning Diablo Valley as the new destination in Northern California for corporate events, small business meetings, reunions, and groups of all sizes that want to experience the East Bay without the Bay Area price tag. Introducing the launch of the group and meetings initiative to thousands of supporters was City of Concord Mayor Tim Grayson, who summed it up best by stating, “Diablo Valley will not only draw group tourism to Concord, filling up our hotels, but will bolster Concord’s economy by drawing group visitors who will spend their dollars in local businesses.”
In Diablo Valley, there are nine hotels and more than 75,000 square feet of expansive and varied meeting space with state-of–the-art technologies and smart appointments making inside spaces ultra-productive, while breakout team activities like hiking, biking, and day trips make the outdoors the ultimate meeting room. Many groups challenge themselves with a hike to the 3,949-foot summit of Mount Diablo, which offers unparalleled bird’s-eye vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Napa Valley. Other groups explore the area on horseback together or with teambuilding hikes along the scenic trails of the Mount Diablo State Park. Plan a summit meeting at the top of Mount Diablo with drive-to accessibility for everyone in the group.
Encouraging groups to stay connected with Diablo Valley’s Facebook page and Twitter feed pays off in giveaways to fans and followers. Giveaway winners have received a Once-In-A-Lifetime Concert Giveaway with V.I.P. tickets and backstage passes to a concert of choice at Concord Pavilion. The second giveaway winner received two coveted Nascar Hot Pit Passes to the Sonoma Raceway, and the “Blaze Your Trail Staycation Giveaway,” the third giveaway going on now, includes one night of lodging and promotes the entire area with complimentary dining, shopping, lifestyle activities, and outdoor fun. You can enter here: http://tinyurl.com/msol955.
In Diablo Valley, event planners can commit to “Defying Expectations” for groups on a budget, provide flexible meeting space, plan event experiences throughout the Bay Area for any group, and incorporate the natural beauty of the area. Start planning at diablovalleyca.com.
